Naval Base Ventura County calls itself the county’s number-one employer. Its three sites at Point Mugu, Port Hueneme and San Nicolas Island host around 80 tenant commands, including two Navy warfare centers that buy engineering, testing and technical services every year. GERC gets Ventura County firms registered, certified, CMMC-ready and bidding for that work.
This is one of the better markets in California for small businesses. In fiscal year 2025 the Naval Surface Warfare Center Port Hueneme Division awarded $426 million in contracts, and $236 million of it, 55%, went to small businesses.
Who is buying
- NSWC Port Hueneme Division. Test and evaluation, in-service engineering and product support for ship combat systems, including Aegis, missiles, radars and launchers. Its FY2025 small business awards included $106 million to small disadvantaged businesses, $53 million to service-disabled veteran-owned firms and $32 million to women-owned firms.
- NAWCWD Point Mugu. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division site at Point Mugu is the Navy’s center of expertise for electronic warfare and runs a 36,000 square mile sea range.
- The base itself. Facilities, construction, maintenance and logistics, including a $149 million hangar project for the MQ-25 Stingray at Point Mugu due around 2027.
- Defense primes and manufacturers. AeroVironment employs nearly 1,000 people in Simi Valley and Moorpark and is consolidating onto a new Moorpark campus. The City of Camarillo lists around 38 aerospace and defense firms, including Northrop Grumman, Teledyne Scientific & Imaging, Parker and KBR.
Where smaller firms get in
Warfare centers buy through their own contracting offices, through large Navy vehicles such as SeaPort-NxG, and through prime contractors who need small business subcontractors to meet their goals. Each route starts with SAM.gov registration, the right NAICS codes and a capability statement that a Navy technical buyer recognises.
Certifications matter more here than in most markets. Because the Navy tracks spending with woman-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned, HUBZone and 8(a) firms, holding the right certification can put you in a smaller pool of competitors.
Why cyber compliance comes first
- NIST SP 800-171 is the foundation. A System Security Plan and a POA&M documenting your gaps, with a score submitted to SPRS.
- It reaches subcontractors. If you handle Controlled Unclassified Information, the requirement flows down to you.
- It takes months, not weeks. See our NIST 800-171 and CMMC readiness page.
What we do for Ventura County firms
- Readiness review. Where you stand on registrations, certifications and cyber, and the order to fix them in.
- Registration. SAM.gov, UEI and entity validation and CAGE code.
- Certification. SB, SB-PW, DVBE, 8(a), HUBZone and woman-owned where you qualify, plus California SB for state work.
- Bidding. A capability statement written for Navy buyers, then proposals and SBIR and STTR applications.
We serve Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Camarillo, Ventura, Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, Westlake Village, Simi Valley, Moorpark and Santa Paula.
Common questions
How does a small business win work at Port Hueneme or Point Mugu?
Opportunities are posted on SAM.gov, and many are set aside for small businesses. You need an active SAM.gov registration, the right NAICS codes and a capability statement. Subcontracting to a prime that already holds a Navy contract is often the quickest first step.
What is SeaPort-NxG?
The Navy’s main contract vehicle for engineering and program management services, used by warfare centers such as Port Hueneme. It reopens to new companies in rolling admissions, and more than a thousand firms were added in January 2025.
Which certifications help most with Navy work?
Small business status is the baseline. Service-disabled veteran-owned, woman-owned, HUBZone and 8(a) certifications each open set-aside contracts with fewer competitors. For California state work, the state’s SB and DVBE certifications are separate.
Is there free help in Ventura County?
Yes. The Small Business Development Center hosted by the Economic Development Collaborative in Camarillo offers free consulting, and the Golden State APEX Accelerator covers the county for government contracting. We work alongside them when a firm needs the documents prepared and filed.
Do you meet in person?
When it helps. We are based in San Bernardino and travel for kickoffs, proposal reviews and board presentations. Most of the work runs remotely.
Schedule a Consultation
- Call (909) 454-7076 — the fastest route. Monday to Friday.
- Book a consultation — pick a time that suits you.
- Email us about Ventura County — opens a message already titled, so it reaches the right person.
If you only want to know whether you need this at all, ask. There is no charge for that conversation.
GERC is a woman-led advisory firm led by Dr. Shirley Ayangbah, a PhD legal economist with more than 14 years of experience. Registered in SAM.gov under CAGE code 11SD2, certified as a California Small Business (Micro) and for Public Works. NAICS 541611, 541618 and 541690.